The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-08-19
THE cHATswoRTH BRIDGE.
An Agent Whose Neglect May Have
Caused the Horror.

CHATswoRTH, ILL.,, Aug. 1S.-very con.
flicting evidence was brought out yesterday
In the Investigation into the cause of the re-
cent railroad disaster here. and with one ex-
ception those that gave testimony, believe
that the railroad company is directly respon-
sible for the horror. Three witnesses OF
good repute testified that they informed
Agent Marsh at Piper City, of the glowing
light near the bridge, and the latter's con-
duct is severely criticised. The night of the
accident he went to prayer meeting, and al
though the excursion train was not due un-
til 10 o'clock. he left the meeting half an
hour before it closed. On reaching the depot
his attention was called to a peculiar light
on the track by several prominent residents
of the place, who so impressed their fears
qon him that he decided to ascertain by tel
egraph just where the excursion train was.
A reply was received that il was at Weston,
"a miles away, and 40 minutes late at that
point. Then the resources of the agent
seem to have been exhausted. He had two
could have gone to the burning bridge in ten
minutes. but he was either too Indifferent or
too unwise to give the matter second
thought. So the bridge burned, and the
train drew nearer and nearer the fatal spot.
While the agent stretched himself out in his
chair, and did nothing to warn it of danger.
Had he even sent a message to the agent or
engineer at Chatsworth, notifying them that
there was suspicious light ON the track, the
catastrophe might have been ayer.ed, and
there would not have been sorrow and
mourning in nearly 800 houses today.
Yesterday afternoon, Agent Marsh, pale
and careworn, was put upon the stand The
room was crowded, and he was the observed
of all observers. Evidently he had been
posted, for what purpose may be conjectured.
This is his testimony:
He said that ON Wednesday morning he re-
ceived a message addressed to all section
foremen, instructing them to go over their
entire sections. and see that all bridges and
the track were in good condition. This was
to be done the last thing at night, before
they went home. Also another message ad-
dressed to all switchmen and agents telling
them to take precautions to see that the
switches were In proper condition at night.
A resident named Waybueh, called his atten-
tiOn TO what he thought was a train coming
He could see nothing and laughed at il, and
thought no more about it, He went in and
laid down. He saw the fated train stop at
the hill, and wondered what it meant and
mentioned the fact to c. B. Plants, train de-
spatcher at Peoria, and went out two or
three times and still saw the light stationary
A few moments later the engine came up
from the wreck, and the engineer
shouted: my God Gather the people
people! There's terrible wreckp' Saw no
burning or fire down the track on Wednes-
day evening.
Witness was carefully cross-examined by
the jury. He said that he was at prayer
meeting until $50; denied point blank the
sworn statements of Messrs. Madden, Jones
and Clark that they called his attention to
a light in the west.
Many of the witnesses for the railroad
company were subpenad, but did not arrive
until late hour. Their testimony was in
favor Of the company, who apparently
would like to have it appear that the bridge
was fired by bandits.
The cononer's jury have agreed on YER
dict, which holds Timothy Coughlin, fore
man of section Z, to appear before the grand
jury, and negatively exonerates the company
as the management is not censured for run
ming double-header, for lax system of track
inspection, or anything else. The verdict
simply implies that the failure to patrol the
section for six hours before the train passed,
and the habit of burning grass close to the
track is subject to criticism. Three or four
friends of the road on the jury had better
staying qualities than the two or three who
would fix portion of the blame ON the
management.